Roller side bearing.



, STUCKL ROLLER SIDE BEARING.

` APNIC/mou man MAY 19. :913.

PaientedApr. i3, MM5.

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rginai application ARNLD STUCKI, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROLI ER SIDE BEARING.

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Serial No.

b (IN 107mm it may concern Be it knovvn that l, ARivoLD broom, a. resident of Fittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful improvement in Roller Side Bearings, of which the following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to side bearings for railway cars.

The object of the invention is to provide a side bearing which is practically frictionless under all service conditions, Whether normal or abnormal, and which performs all other functions of side bearings, which is efficient and durable in service, and which is simple in construction and therefore inexpensiveboth as to first cost and as to upkeep. l,

The invention comprises the construction] and arrai'igement'of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

ln. the accompanying drawings, Figure 1u is `a plan view of a side bearing embodying the invention; Fig. l is in part a side elev tion and in part a vertical longitudinal sec tion thereof; and l? ig. 3 is in part an end vieiv and in part a vertical cross section thereof.

The present application is a division of my prior application for roller side bearing, filed July 25, 191.2,Se1'ial No. 711,456.

is illustrated in the drawings the bearing comprises a suitable frame orhousing l arranged for attachment to the bolster 2, but obviously said frame or housing may be inn tegral with the bolster. As shown, said frame or housing is adapted for a straight bolster, but it can be readily adapted to a tapering bolster. The frame or housing is provided with a bottom 3, side ivalls or barriers fl, end iva-lis or barriers 5, and with suitable ears o lugs 6, perforated for the reception of rivets or bolts for securing said frame or housing to the bolster. f i

The bottom 3 provides a suitable bearing surface for the anti-friction member 8, which bearing surface may be either integral with the bottom, or, as slio\vn',formed by a separate, hardened, steel plate 9 secured to the frame or housing by rivets l() or the like. The anti-friction member 8 is shown. as a plain-faced cylindrical roller 8,

which has a rolling movement upon the bearing surface, but makes only apartial rotation, and as 1t rolls first in one direction Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. i3, MM5.

filed uly 25, 1912, Serial No, 711,456. Divided and this application filed May 19, 1913.

and then in the other, it is in effect a rocker member. This rocker member may be made of other form than circular in cross section, and when in the form of a roller may be slightly conical or tapered instead of cylindrical. in which event the housing will be curved on an arc to correspond with the taper of the cone.

The bearing surface 9 on which the member 8 rocks or rolls is shown as level or horizontal from end to end so that the mems ber 8 travels thereon 'without other than rolling friction, and without the necessity of lifting the car body as it rocks or rolls toward the ends of the housing or frame. The bearing therefore permits a freer swiveling of the truck underneath the car body than in those types where the rolling or rocking member as it moves from the cen ter of the bearing toward the ends is compelled to roll up an incline.

The side and end Walls or barriers of the frame or housing are for the purpose of confining the rocking member and preventing it from escaping under normal operating conditions, and are therefore of material height, extending fairly close to the top of the member 8, which projects slightly thereabove and has its upper surface exposed for directly supporting the upper bolster member 2a. The end walls or barriers have their upper portions substantially vertical, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the roller 8 cannot roll up over the same, said end walls forming absolute stops to limit the travel of the rocker member in both directions. The top edges of the side and end walls are broad and fiat and form an efficient and satisfactory side bearing even if the roller is lost in a wreck or from other cause.

To prevent the housing from accumulating dirt, which would clog the movement of the rocking member, the Walls are preferably of vopen or skeleton construction, the end Walls being provided Wit-h large open- V'ings l1 extending for the full Width of the housing and for a considerable distance upwardly, While the side Walls 4 are provided with large openings l2 at the central p0rtions thereof. As a consequence the WallsV or barriers are practically supported ppon posts or columns 13, leaving large openings at the level of the bearing surface, both at the ends and sides, through which snow, ice, dust, dirt and other foreign material can readily escape, so as to prevent retarding the movement of the rocking member. The Aside and end walls or barriers are strengthcnedl and stiffened by horizontal ribs or` iianges le and verticalribs or iianges'.

It is desirable to provide suitable means for returning the rocking member to central position in the frame or housing whenever` the holsters separate, in order that it may be in proper position when the bolsters again come together and move relative somewhere within the solid and heavier portion 17.l Consequently, on a horizontal surface this roller will come to rest with its center of gravity as low as possible, or in the position shown in Fig. 2. The result is that lit is self-centering by gravity whenever the holsters separate. It is also desirable' to provide means to prevent the rocking` member from shifting on the bearing .surface so that it cannot become displaced vunder heavy end shocks or sudden longitudinal blows on the car. 4This result may-be secured in several ways. As shown, the base or bearing surface9 is provided with pro- ,jections or teeth 18 which engage notches or recesses 19 in the periphery of'the solid portion 17 of the roller 8, said notches extending for a sufficient distance around the periphery of the roller to provide for the nec- Messary travel. The teeth 18 and recesses 19 may extend the full length of the roller. and from side to side of the bearing surface, but preferably are considerably shorter and exposition upon sepatend only a short distance on either side of the median longitudinal plane of the,A bearing. It is preferred to have the teeth 18 on the bearing surface and the recesses 19 on the roller, for the reason that if the recesses were formed in the bearing surface they would form pockets to accumulate dirt.

In the bearing described the rocking member is free to rock or roll on a level or horizontal bearing surface, Without other than rolling friction and without either rising or falling as it moves. Consequently, it travels with the greatest facility with the swiveling of the truck, and by reducing friction assists in the free swiveling of the truck under the car body. The interengaging teeth and recesses on the bearing surface and the rocking member prevent the rocking member from slipping on the bearing surface, and also prevent it from being shifted out of normal position byend shocks of the car. The counterpoise construction described provides very simple means for returning the rocking member to central position whenever the holsters separate.

A side bearing for railway cars, comprising a housing for the lower bolster having its bottom forming a bearing surface and provided with side and end Walls or barriers having fiat upper surfaces and provided with openings at the level of the bottom bearing surface, and a cylindrical eccentrically loaded roller in-said housing and traveling on the bottom bearing surface thereof, said bottom bearing surface and the roller being provided With interengaging teeth, whereby when the upper bolster; meinber rises the roller returns to central.posi tion in the housing.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

. p ARNOLD STUCKI. Witnesses WILLIAM B. WHARTON, WILLIAM P. LARKIN. 

